Magisterium

When Jesus ascended into Heaven, He did not leave a book; He left a Body. That Body was equipped with the spiritual gifts necessary to preach Jesus to the whole world. That Body has never died and will never die. "The gates of Hell shall not prevail against it."

As the apostles preached Jesus, questions and controversies arose:

"For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths" (2 Tim 4:3-4).

The Magisterium is a relatively recent term derived from the Latin word, magister, which means "teacher." It refers to the teaching authority of the Church by means of which sound doctrine may be distinguished from false teaching.

• Ordinary Magisterium: Bishops acting in union with the pope, especially in an ecumenical council.
• Extraordinary Magisterium: The pope exercising the infallibility of the Church in union with the College of Bishops.
• Representatives of the Magisterium: priests, deacons, theologians.

Scriptural roots of the magisterium

Pastoral gifts--"Living the truth in love"

Eph 4:11-16

And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ, so that we may no longer be infants, tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching arising from human trickery, from their cunning in the interests of deceitful scheming. Rather, living the truth in love, we should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, with the proper functioning of each part, brings about the body's growth and builds itself up in love.

• apostles
• prophets
• evangelists
• pastors
• teachers

1 Cor 12:28

Some people God has designated in the church to be, first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then, mighty deeds; then, gifts of healing, assistance, administration, and varieties of tongues.

• apostles
• prophets
• teachers
• administrators

To fill in later ...

The Spirit of Truth has led us and still leads us to all truth (Jn).

"Who listens to you listens to me" (Lk).

"Call no man Teacher." The authority of Jesus is different from that of rabbis and academics!